First responders, such as law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians (EMTs), routinely experience traumatic job-related stressors. The constant exposure to disturbing and distressing situations puts them at a greater risk of developing moderate to severe psychiatric conditions. Mindfulness training may play a critical role in building psychological resilience in first responders, ultimately reducing rates of burnout, suicidal thoughts, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
What is Psychological Resilience?
Psychological resilience is the process of positively adapting to difficult, stressful, and possibly traumatic experiences. This positive adaptation typically occurs through behavioral, emotional, and cognitive flexibility. Psychological resilience is the ability to adjust to external and internal demands placed on the individual. One key aspect of psychological resilience is that it’s learnable, and developing this skill set could help prevent burnout in high-stress careers.
How Are Psychological Resilience and Mindfulness Connected?
Mindfulness is being fully aware of yourself (both mentally and physically), your environment, and the present moment. It can help people learn how to be more resilient, and it can help people react and respond to stressful situations.
Case in point: In a 2015 pilot study published in the Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology, researchers noted that Mindfulness-Based Resilience Training (MBRT) increased:
Mindfulness
Psychological resilience
Mental and physical health
Resilience to burnout
Why Are These Findings So Critical for First Responders?
When disaster strikes, first responders are called on first for immediate help and assistance. This population's mental and physical health are imperative to the security and well-being of every community. First responders' frequent and repetitive exposure to traumatic events makes them susceptible to a higher risk of mental health disorders.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), roughly 1 in 3 first responders develop behavioral health conditions such as depression, PTSD, substance use, and suicide/suicidal ideation. Incidences of behavioral health conditions in the general population are about 1 in 5 people.
For the well-being of first responders and the general public, it is essential to find ways to curb the adverse effects of trauma. Recently, numerous studies show that mindfulness-based treatments have a positive impact on a myriad of mental health disorders.
What Do These Findings Mean for First Responders?
It's clear that increased mindfulness improves psychological resilience, especially when acquired through first-responder-specific MBRT training. It's also apparent that psychological resilience decreases burnout among first responders. Researchers continue to find mindfulness reduces the likelihood of developing mental health conditions.
Being in the right state of mind helps first responders improve their own well-being. They're better prepared to de-escalate volatile situations and strengthen community relations. For these reasons, even the U.S. military has decided to invest in mindfulness training.
From better sleep and lower rates of depression to improved focus and reduced emotional reactivity, mindfulness can have profound effects on people. These effects are especially important for those with careers that require working late hours, observing disturbing scenes, handling violent criminals, and comforting traumatized victims.
What to Expect in Mindfulness Training
Think of mindfulness training like a woodshop class. There are tools all around you, and mindfulness training teaches you how to use all of the tools. Some are as simple as mindful breathing, body scanning, or repeating a positive affirmation. Others are more intensive, such as cognitive reframing.
Participants in mindfulness training gain insights into the science behind mindfulness. Ultimately, these training sessions are built to help first responders reduce stress, improve communication skills, increase ethical decision-making, improve job safety, and boost overall work performance.
Mindfully Observing the Road Ahead
All too often, first responders feel the need to tamp down or ignore their emotions in order to do their job. But, study after study indicates that observing these emotions and understanding how they impact us will actually lead to better job performance outcomes.
Mindfulness is not a silver bullet solution for first responders, but it's certainly a core element of progress. Its benefits are profound, and it's exciting to see training programs being implemented across the county. If you're interested in learning more about mindfulness training for your organization, reach out to Mindfulness Strategies. We specialize in tailoring mindfulness training to specific industries and corporate sectors to ensure our curriculum is tailored to your specific needs.